Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-16
FOREIGN NEWS.
RUssrA's MILITARY POSITION ON HER
TR0sTIgns.
Why shs Should Be Alarmed at Germanys
Preparations What is Thought In
Vienna on the Subject
LBr Anrlo. American eable o the DI.patch.l

ST.. PETERSBURG, December l5.-The
Official MihtarB gazette says: Owing
to the alarm raised by the Austrian press
IN consequence of the transfer OF some
Russian cavalry to the Warsaw district,
il is advisable TO consider the military
position OF Russia and her western from
tier neighboIs in order to throw light
upon the question of who is really pre-
pairing to attack and who tor defence.
During the past five years the peace ell
fective of the German army has been
increased sixty five bsttalions and 33l
guns. The German troops on the hus-
sian frontier have been increased Il bat
talions OF infantry, u batteries OF artil-
lery, and ID squadrons Of cavalry. Since
1878 Germany has built in the eastern
provinces 1850 kilometres OF rail-
roads. There are eleven German
railroads by means OF which troops
can be forwarded to the Russian
frontier and ten junction stations where
they can be rapidly thrown out OF trains
and concentrated. Germany has formed
| frst-class fOrtTesses at Thorn, IOsen,
Dantzic, and Koeuigsburg, and is build
ing a similar fortress at Grandenz.
Austria has added to the % infantry
divisions which formerly constituted her
effective, and would add in the event OF
the mobilization Of the army II land
WEIR or honved divisions. The Galician
garrlsons have been reinforced during
1887 by IS squadrons OF cavalry and Is
batteries OF artillery, all provided with a
full complement OF horses. In the
Austrian districts which might become
the theatre Of q war with Russia, 400
kilometres of railroads, with four
branches, have been constructed since
1878.
Six Austrian railways are available for
throwing into Galicia large bodies Of
troops, who, 10y means of the new juno
ton stations. can be placed in position
on the Russian frontier. Military huts,
depots, and stores are being collected at
Lemburg, Przemysl, Jaroslaw, Dem
bitza, Riascheff, and other points. The
fortresses at Przemysl aud Cracow have
been converted into camp fortresses.
/ Russian territory can be bombardcd
| from the CracOw forts. A large quantity
OF rolling stock has been accumulated at
Cracow adapted for use on Russian rail-
ways.
All these preparations arc meaningless,
except in view OF offensive tactics, and
show that Austria, under semblance OF
/ defence, is at the same time preparing to
invade Russia simultaneously with her
/ ally. But what is Russia doing in view
of her neighbOrs' threatening prepare
tons Notwithstanding the manifest
danger. Russia considers that a European
war would be terrible misfortune to all
mankind. She was the first who, amid
her neighbors' feverish ornaments, did
not increase, but decreased her defensive
| forces. In 1881 and 1882 Russia re-
| duced her peace effective nearly 100, 900.
True. she raised it again in consequence
Of the Afghan affair and the necessity of
improving her readiness TO mobilize
when her neighbors unremittingly raised
their fighting strength. Nevertheless,
the peace effective of the Russian army
is now 1915 less than in 1881, while
her neighbors in the same period have
raised their peace effective 10000.
Doubtless Russia in the event
of war will assemble a mighty
army, the concentration of which
on the frontier will be incOmparably
more difficult for her than will be the
concentration by her neighbors Of their
/ forces at the same place. During the
! last ten years 2,S2S kilometres OF rail
way have been constructed in the west
ern provinces Of Russia.
In the German-Austrian eastern pro-
vinces during the same period $500
kilometres have been built. Moreover,
| the area in which Russia has constructed
railways is twice as large rs that III which
her neighboTs have built such lines.
Russian railways nowhere pass outside
the defence lines Of the triangle formed
/ by st. Petersburg, Warsaw, and Odessa.
/ Our neighbours lines, however, run
straight out to the Russian frontier.
1t is easy to understand that
they are not constructed for advanced
posts, butfor the concentration OF troops.
4 glance at the map will suffice to show
| that a close network OF railways covers
the district along the Russian frontier
| Compared with the insignificant number
of railways that Russia can rely upon,
not only from Germany but from the
Austrian frontier, the Russian frontier
is meuaccd with rapid invasion. The
most effective measures against this
danger would bc to extend the
Russian railways until they at
tain the proportions of those Of
our neighbors. But for this enormous
expense time is required, and, there
/ fore, there is only one course-to I'M
prove our defences aud fortresses and in
crease the number Of troops on the from
tier, and thereby guard against a sur
prlsc. Our neighbors' increased militia
nv preparations in 1886 compelled Rus
sin to devise counter means, which will
be GRADUALLY executed. The transfer of
Il few cavalry regiments on the Nistua
might certainly be made preteXt to ex-
cite the press and public opinion to
charge Russia with Warlike inten-
tons. The German and Austrian
military authorities understand the
defensive character Of this mea-
sure. They can calmly calculate
how many corps Russia will have to send
to the frontier, while peace Is undls-
turbed, so that after concentrating atany
given point the forces and means at her
disposal might suffice TO place Russia on
a footing OF equality with her opponents.
They can also calculate the strength Of
the forces with which, IN the event Of
war. Russia could be rapidly invaded.
They can still hope by sudden action to
win comp ratively cheap laurels; buthigh
Russian military officers who do not fear
the ultimate issue of conflict, even if
the whole forces OF the peace league
moved ont against Russia, nevertheless
only recognize that the defence OF Rus
sian territory is not yet assured, and il
the peace league considers itself justified
in developing its defensive measures so
far as to bring certain Russian districts
under the range of the guns of its most
advanced forts, Russia has the I'M
doubted right to provide for her defence
and to take every measure to uphold her
honor aud maintain the inyiolability OF
her territory.
WHAT rs THOUGur IN VIENNA.
VIENNA, December l5.--An article
which appeared in the st. Petersburg
Ifiliidry ReUieu to-day on the military
/ ,nove,oants Of Ruesia and her nei0hbOrs